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When I was a teenager cars were of great fascination and a source of status in Pueblo. That was an age where style was more important than function. It was before muscle cars—just hot rods and “Cherry-ed Out” anythings—save a Nash Rambler. The color of choice for the real gear heads was Candy Apple Red, the same as the cane you see pictured. Yes, that is my own cane. I never had a Hot Rod and my only red car was my Mitsubishi Sport Lyft-mobile. It seems that in my post Covid life the one function of my body that…

This Sunday starts the first week of Advent. It is also the first time I will preach since August. I got an ‘unintentional sabbatical’ for 12 weeks. For any of you first time readers, I contracted a “breakthrough delta variant” covid infection which put me in the hospital for 18 days. For the last almost five years I have served as the lead pastor at First Christian Church in Greeley—I failed retirement. The first three years we were experiencing an exciting growth and visioning—then Covid.Last year we had ‘hoped’ to reboot for Advent and Christmas, the second wave hit and…

This past Wednesday we took the “scenic route” from Granbury, Texas to Plainville, Kansas. We had spent a week in Texas with daughter Amy and family, where it could not have been any better for Papa Mark. It was topped off last Sunday with a Denver Bronco romping of the Dallas Cowboys.We treated the whole Piatt clan to nosebleed seats at AT&T stadium. We were a house divided. My only hope for the game was ‘please don’t embarrass Colorado’—in fact in spite of Vegas odds that had the Broncos losing by 13, the boys in Orange humiliated the Cowboys. I…

I have spent the last few weeks in the heart of our medical system. I have nothing but gratitude for the competent care I have received. My Primary Care doc who has worked with me since 2009, retired in the midst of this journey. I am grateful for her but even for me, who thinks he loves change, this was a bit unsettling.My first doctor was Grant Hurley. Our families were great friends. For me, I never went to the doctor, the doctor came to me, carrying a black bag. In that bag were all kinds of things like a…

Thirty-seven years ago go I became a “Step-Father”. The word “step” anything carries baggage—thank you Disney and Cinderella. I personally find the added descriptor confusing at best. There are wonderful stories of “step” relationships that flourish and inspire. There are others that best be left to rot in their failures of trust, respect, or decency. Stephanie, MK’s oldest bio daughter is now 48. Since nearly the beginning of our moving under one roof in,1984 she and I have built our own version of father/ daughter. I respect her beyond measure as a daughter, educator, sister, mother, wife and all around…

The last week of February 2020, I got a phone call from my son Mateo. “Dad, have you been following this Corona virus? You better batten down the hatches because this is going to be bad!!!” We talked quite a bit and he got my attention. The next week he called me again and asked if I was going to cancel meeting at church in Greeley, in person. I said I wasn’t sure. He said, “Dad, Google, Apple, and Microsoft all just went totally virtual. Don’t you think they see the bigger picture?” Point made—church cancelled.We all know what followed.…

The last week of February 2020, I got a phone call from my son Mateo. “Dad, have you been following this Corona virus? You better batten down the hatches because this is going to be bad!!!” We talked quite a bit and he got my attention. The next week he called me again and asked if I was going to cancel meeting at church in Greeley, in person. I said I wasn’t sure. He said, “Dad, Google, Apple, and Microsoft all just went totally virtual. Don’t you think they see the bigger picture?” Point made—church cancelled.We all know what followed.…

My grandson Mattias is now a Senior in high school. I know it would be easy to discount my praise as the ramblings of a typical grandparent. When he could barely walk it became apparent that he had God-given musical gifts. At age two when he would hear a microwave bell he might say “C#”. I told my wonderful organist/consummate musician at South Broadway Christian Church, that he had “perfect pitch”. He politely discounted my bragging, until the day he was practicing the magnificent pipe organ and Mattias (age 4) was rapt with what he was hearing. He invited him…

In 1955 my folks built our family home on the edge of “Belmont”, which was the Pueblo version of the suburbs. Our house was at the top of a long and large hill. Our backyard faced east and for six years our fence was the only barrier as far as you could see, towards Kansas. My play ground was the high desert which as best I knew, belonged to everyone.It was truly the stuff that dreams are made of. We were a post WWII neighborhood filled with kids. “The Prairie” as we called it was ours for the taking. We…

I found out last week that I have a new monicker. My nephew Jed, lives 30 miles from me. He has the rare privilege of being my nearest relative. I have the gift of being close to my beloved sister Rita’s boy. My grandkids (who would be Jed’s 2nd cousin) actually call him “Uncle Jed”. He was sort of raised in our family as our fifth kid. Jed can do anything—install a ceiling fan, fix our toilet, move anything (he is 6’5” and 260) and is a joy to be with. This summer his trips to Arvada to help us…